A Detective's Testimony
by Nev827
Summary: After the man responsible for Beckett's mother's murder is arrested, tried, and convicted, Beckett finally gets to tell him at his sentencing how the crime impacted her life. Features a character of my own creation, Tracy Chen.
1. Chapter 1

Detective Kate Beckett paced nervously in the hallway of the large, opulent New York City courthouse building. She knew she couldn't display any nerves once she went inside the courtroom, so she tried her best to get it all out of her system now. She wanted the man she had come to meet eye-to-eye not to see any sign of weakness in her. She wanted to come across strong and confident, the two qualities she had inherited in the greatest amount from the mother the man had taken from her, the late Johanna Beckett.

It had been fifteen years ago, near the end of Kate's time in college that her life was changed forever by the monster now located just down the hall from where she stood. In all that time, for all the hours she had studied law enforcement and investigation techniques, and pored over her mother's case file, she hadn't been able to solve the crime. It wasn't until world-famous murder mystery novelist Richard Castle charmed his way onto her team and into her life, that they got a break in the case.

Eventually, they were able to connect the hit man who had actually murdered Johanna, an arrogant U.S. Special Forces veteran and international businessman named Dick Coonan, to none other than the commander of the New York State National Guard. This cunning and vindictive, yet respected soldier was an old buddy of Coonan's from the Special Forces who had manipulated his way into becoming the most powerful military figure in the State. He had cleverly surrounded himself with "old friends" like Coonan who were loyal, just as cunning, and more than willing to "troubleshoot" any problems for the sake of their boss. Johanna Beckett had been just one victim of this man's narcissistic need for total power. Besides that, Johanna and some acquaintances of hers had stumbled across evidence that the Adjutant General was actually contributing to the crime problem in the city by funding a South American drug smuggling operation. He thought that by causing crime to rise high enough, he could get the Mayor to agree to let the State National Guard help with the policing. When his soldier did a better job of controlling the nefarious elements in the city, he'd be seen as a hero and would have his pick of high-profile jobs to choose from – Mayor himself, U.S. Senator, Governor, or perhaps an appointment at the Department of Defense.

Thanks to Castle's help, and that of her squad mates Detectives Kevin Ryan and Javier Esposito and her boss, Captain Roy Montgomery, her friend FBI Special Agent Jordan Shaw and her team, and personnel from the Judge Advocate General's Office, they were all able to uncover the plot and arrest The General. This time, Captain Montgomery made sure that the case at trial wouldn't be handled in the same Mickey Mouse fashion as the original investigating detectives had handled it. He pulled some strings and got one of the best prosecutors in the city assigned to the case, Assistant District Attorney Tracy Chen, who, Beckett had to admit, had done a masterful job representing the State in the case. The General had been found guilty on all counts, including the murder of Johanna Beckett.

Kate and her father Jim Beckett were in the courtroom when the verdicts were read. Upon hearing the jury foreman say the word "guilty," Beckett and her Dad hugged each other and cried silent tears. Upon leaving the courtroom that day with Castle, Ryan, and Esposito, she felt like a ten ton weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Yet, she also knew that the sentencing phase of the trial would begin soon, and would most likely be as difficult an experience to go through as surviving all she had survived in her life until now. But it had all been a little too much for Jim. Days after the verdicts, he was admitted to the hospital with chest pain and had been instructed not to testify at the sentencing. Kate would have to represent her family alone.

So here she was, waiting by herself outside the courthouse's largest courtroom to testify before the jury in the trial's sentencing phase. As she approached one of the courthouse's many large windows, she stopped and looked outside. It was a clear, sunny and mildly warm day so a fair amount of people were out and about. Being a skilled and experienced detective, Kate was quickly able to determine who was on official legal business and who was just a tourist taking in the city's sights. Her eyes rested on two parents with their two children, a boy and girl who were taking pictures of each other on the courthouse steps. Like she had so many times before, she fantasized about having that kind of a life, free of the emotional baggage similar to what she carried around with her. Then her thoughts turned to what she would have become, what she and her Mom and her Dad would be doing if nothing had happened that terrible night and Johanna had arrived safely at the restaurant to meet them for dinner. Life certainly would have been less complicated, Kate thought. But would I have been happy, truly happy she asked herself. If I had taken that route, chances are I never would have met Lanie, Ryan, Esposito, Captain Montgomery, or –

"Morning beautiful," a voice said behind her, tearing her from the window and what might have been. It was Rick Castle, the world-famous murder-mystery writer, and her fiancée. They had been engaged now for a whole year. After saving her and an FBI agent from a seriously deranged mortician who had kidnapped the both of them and had been determined to kill one of the three of them, he had popped the question right there in the precinct. Prior to that harrowing experience, they had slowly fallen for each other while Castle shadowed her and her team as research for his best-selling Nikki Heat series of books, the female protagonist being based on Beckett herself. The incident with the mortician was the catalyst that led them to realize and admit their feelings of love to each other.

"Morning, hon," she said and kissed him on the cheek.

"Whatcha looking at?" he asked, always inquisitive, and draped his arm around her shoulders. She in turn wrapped one of hers around his waist.

"Just all those nice, normal people out there who don't have to testify at the sentencing of the New York State Adjutant General who's just been convicted of murdering their mother and about a dozen other crimes," she answered in one breath, trying to introduce some levity into the situation.

"Hey, you and I both know that normal is relative. One person's soccer Mom is another person's axe murderer or prostitute," Castle observed.

"I'll keep that in mind the next time I take a stroll past all the joggers in Central Park," Beckett said not sounding terribly relieved.

After standing there for a minute, arms around each other, Kate's head resting on Castle's shoulder, Kate felt Castle reach into his jacket pocket and fish something out.

"Hey, there's something I want to give you before the others get here," he said and he handed her a small, worn wooden hand mirror with flowers painted on the reverse side. "It's from Mother," Castle explained, referencing his ex-Broadway diva mother Martha Rodgers whom Kate adored. "She says it's her good luck charm. Every play she's done where she's kept that in her dressing room has gone on to be a success. She also had it with her when Alexis was born," Castle continued, mentioning his only daughter, now 21 years old. "She told me once that when she got the news she was a grandmother, she pulled out the mirror, looked at her reflection, and instead of wondering where did the time go, she cried a tear of joy thinking of this new life that had entered the world."

Kate held the mirror lovingly and beamed as Castle told his mother's story. "Then she downed another three Manhattans and passed out in bed with her director," Castle joked. Kate responded with a good laugh herself, then stepped forward and hugged the love of her life with gratitude.

"Well, so much for my bringing the troops here for extra support," Captain Montgomery said as he walked up behind her and Castle. They broke their embrace, somewhat sheepishly, and greeted Montgomery, Ryan and Esposito.

"Seriously, you two, I'm hurt," Esposito teased, forming his best wounded-puppy look on his face.

"Yeah," his partner Ryan chimed in. "Here we both thought you needed us. Guess we'll head back to the precinct and do some paperwork." He finished by wiping his eyes and feigning bursting into tears.

"Hey, it's OK, bro," Esposito comforted and clapped Ryan on the back. Captain Montgomery couldn't help but allow himself a chuckle.

"Alright, alright c'mon guys. You're talking about my wife-to-be here," Castle admonished though with a slight smirk on his face. He had come to expect this kind of teasing from Kate's guys.

"Hey, detectives cry too," Ryan said back.

"Some more than others, huh, Honey Milk?" Kate put in and the whole group burst into laughter. Castle relaxed some at seeing Kate's nervousness melt away.

"Hey, everyone. Sorry I'm a little late," Kate's best friend Medical Examiner Lanie Parish announced as she joined the group and walked up to Kate, giving her a quick but sincere hug. Castle felt even better for Kate that Lanie had succeeded in getting a day off from the morgue to come.

"You doing OK this morning?" Lanie asked Beckett.

"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks Lanie."

"What about the rest of us?" Esposito asked Lanie, again trying to look wounded. Castle had fallen into conversation with Montgomery and Ryan.

"What?" Lanie responded confused.

"You didn't ask how I'm doing this morning."

"Are you testifying at the sentencing hearing for the scum bag who ordered a hitman to kill your mother 15 years ago?"

Esposito got the message, shook his head feebly and suddenly became interested in the hallway's floor tiles while he rubbed the back of neck.

"That's what I thought," Lanie finished and noticed Kate giving her a knowing look complete with a subtly raised eyebrow. Lanie raised both her own eyebrows then tilted her head slightly in Esposito's direction in response, and finally eyed him briefly using her peripheral vision. When he raised his head sensing that someone was looking at him, she quickly looked away. Kate stifled a wide grin then noticed the arrival of two more people who were currently greeting Castle.

"Good morning, good morning," Martha sang, recreating the famous song from _Singin' in the Rain_. In the large marble courthouse hallway, her voice carried for what seemed like miles, a fact not entirely lost on Castle's daughter Alexis, who followed in her grandmother's wake wincing slightly.

"What are you two doing here?" Kate asked. Castle hadn't told her they were coming.

"Just a little surprise we cooked up that we hoped would take the edge off the hearing," she answered and the women hugged each other.

"Gram wheedled her way out of rehearsal today and I took the day off from that camp I've been volunteering at for the summer." Alexis explained.

"You know you guys really didn't have to do this," Kate protested.

"Are you kidding, darling? Of course we did. You're my future daughter-in-law. And even though it means I'll have to find another way to repay the favor I now owe the director other than wearing his favorite dress and allowing him to -"

"Mother!" Castle cautioned.

"Richard, please, in case you haven't noticed Alexis is 21 now. There's no need to protect her."

"And it's not like I haven't heard or read far worse stories about you!" Castle folded his upper lip over his bottom lip and with a quick head jerk signaled that he was withdrawing his complaint. Meanwhile, Lanie, Ryan, Esposito and Montgomery did a remarkable job at maintaining their respective composures.

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, even though I'm missing rehearsal and Alexis is missing work, there's nowhere else we'd rather be today than here for you. Right kiddo?" Martha asked Alexis and she put an arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah, definitely," Alexis smiled then addressed Kate. "Listen, I'm not gonna pretend that I know how hard this has all been for you since I've been fortunate enough to have all my family still alive, but we all care about you. Myself included. And I admit initially when Dad told me he liked you that I didn't want someone else coming in and taking away from the time Dad and I had. But you've been so great to him and made him so happy and you've been more like a big sister than a mom to me, so I figured being here was the least I could do."

The group gathered around the two women beamed at Alexis' words, but none as much as Kate herself. She walked over to the 21-year old and wrapped her arms around her, letting that stand as her expression of thanks. Kate even thought she saw Esposito get choked up.

"Wow, check this out. Would this be the Detective Beckett fan club I've heard so much about?" ADA Tracy Chen said as she approached the group. Kate introduced her to everyone, save Captain Montgomery who she had already met. Her detective instincts also picked up on the fact that when introduced to Esposito, Tracy held his hand and his gaze for a tad bit longer than she did with everyone else. And given the fact that Lanie's eyes were shooting small daggers at the attractive Asian attorney, it was a safe bet that she had noticed too. It's gonna be a long day, Kate thought.

"Detective Beckett as you know, you'll be going last. I think that as a police detective whose life and career have been shaped by The General's actions your testimony will be the most compelling and should be foremost on the jury's mind when the members go to deliberate." Everyone nodded as Tracy outlined her strategy. "I know it sounds like exploitation and, I'll warn you, it will most likely be hard for you to hear what the family members of the other victims will have to say, but trust me. I know this technique works if we want to put this guy away. I've used it many times before to great success." More nods in support. Tracy then walked up and addressed Kate directly.

"I know it's quite late in the fourth quarter, so to speak, for me to ask this, but you're sure you're ready for this?"

Kate paused before answering. Everyone in the group was looking at her, but not in fear, or sadness, or pity, but with pride in how she had held herself and her family together, and with satisfaction knowing that she would finally have the chance to tell the bastard responsible for killing her mother how he nearly destroyed her life. Kate, in turn, looked back at the seven people for whom she cared beyond words. They had seen her through some of her darkest days, and had always been there with a joke, a look, or a word of encouragement. She now realized that they had helped reaffirm the meaning of life to her. While everyday she dealt with the worst that humanity had to offer, these people showed her the best. Becoming a cop had helped exorcise a few of her demons because it allowed her to help others, but these men and women, especially Castle, had given her the confidence to face the last and the worst of the demons head on. In their own individual ways, she knew they did and always would have her back. She slipped her left hand into Castle's right and answered confidently.

"After 15 years…I'm positive I'm ready,"

Tracy smiled broadly. "Good. Then I suggest you all find some seats. We'll be starting shortly."

The group began to break up and head towards the large double doors that lead into the courtroom. Castle lifted Kate's hand and kissed its back. He offered his free arm to Martha as Alexis slid into Kate's other side. A bailiff opened the doors for them and the four headed up the center aisle behind Esposito, Ryan and Lanie. Captain Montgomery and Tracy followed shortly after them.


	2. Chapter 2

They all found seats to the right side of the center aisle. Kate sat a few rows back from the front on the end with Castle on her right, and Alexis and Martha on his right. In the bench behind Kate, Lanie sat on the end with, front left to right, Captain Montgomery, Ryan, and Esposito. Kate could see Tracy and an underling at the prosecutor's table in front of them pulling papers out of her briefcase and occasionally stopping to read a passage or make a note to herself. The prosecutor, who, prior to The General's case being turned over to the D.A., had been a complete stranger to Kate, was now a marvel to her, as much as Lanie was for her ability to recall in minute detail every autopsy she had ever performed.

From the beginning, Kate and Tracy had hit it off, much like Kate and Lanie had. But they had something else in common that Kate and her direct Medical Examiner friend didn't have – a painful backstory that had influenced their choice of career. Tracy's best friend had been raped while they both were in college. Despite his vehement claims that he was innocent, the police had arrested the star tight end on the college's football team who also happened to be president of the most popular fraternity on campus. They had bought into the story, as Tracy had initially, of the alcoholic, egotistical frat boy athlete with a God complex who felt entitled to have whatever and whoever he wanted. Tracy had sat in the courtroom almost every day with her friend and had been mesmerized by the accused student's attorney, who eventually was successful in proving that not only was her client innocent, but that a member of the college's debate team was the guilty party. She changed her major the next day.

Her career had begun in the trenches, with the Public Defender's office. After 5 years, she joined a small, but respected practice still as a defense attorney. She was so successful, that her talent soon caught the eye of an Executive ADA with the District Attorney's office against whom she had argued a case. He offered her a job working under him, figuring that if she brought as much passion to prosecuting criminals as she did to defending them, she'd be DA herself one day. While reluctant to switch sides, Tracy gave it a lot of thought and eventually took the job on the condition that she be allowed, in addition to her regular work, to help with the city's chapter of the Innocence Project.

Her hiring, and involvement with the Project, rankled a lot of feathers within the DA's office, but the complaints were soon put to rest when her critics noticed her conviction rate and her talent for freeing innocent men who had been wrongly convicted years prior. Tracy suspected it had more to do with the good press surrounding the freeing of convicted men who had been locked up for decades, and the fact that she was a woman and Asian. It also didn't hurt that she was attractive, intelligent, professional, pragmatic, and empathized with the victims of the crimes she prosecuted, like Kate.

It wasn't long before Kate invited Tracy to join hers and Lanie's weekly happy hour get together. At first Kate was worried about how Lanie would react to their long-time duo suddenly becoming a trio, but something told her that they would all get along famously. Lanie and Tracy were both minorities, both single, and both had a similar sense of humor, though Tracy didn't keep as tight a lid on hers as Lanie did. Despite their differences, they were all women in fields still dominated by men and could commiserate with each other. They found it easy to bounce stories back and forth about getting hit on by the male chauvinists in their respective professions, the creative ways they had invented to get their revenge, breaking their own glass ceilings, the latest cases they were working on, and generally about trying to be a thirty-something year old woman with a career in New York City.

The bailiff's command of "All rise," signaling the arrival of the judge in the courtroom, awoke Kate from her thoughts. As Tracy began the process of calling the first family members of The General's victims, Kate snuck a look at the man responsible for these people's misery, for her father's misery, for her misery. She imagined him in the Class A military uniform he had worn to so many meetings with the Mayor, other city officials, and other military personnel, schmoozing or giving out orders that kept the state's National Guard units operating properly. This was also the man who so arrogantly and blithely ordered the deaths of so many innocent civilians as long as their deaths suited his own purposes. Now here he was, in a bright orange jump suit with the letters "DOC" on the back with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. She stared at his face, trying to find a twitching muscle or a pulsing vein, something that betrayed the look of confidence and smugness he currently wore. But she couldn't find anything. Dammit, how can he sit there and look like he did nothing wrong, Kate thought.

Without realizing it, her jaw had tautened and her chest had begun rising and falling quickly as anger had spread throughout her system. She felt Castle release his grip on her hand and bring his arm over her head to rest around her shoulders. The feeling of his eyes on her face, calmed her some and she turned her head to face him, but didn't meet his eyes with hers until he reached across his body and took her hand again, this time in his right. Kate slowly grinned as he massaged her hand a few times with his thumb. She then returned his look and he winked at her. How could she have wasted so much time denying that he was the one for her? He always knew exactly how to make her feel better in every situation which wasn't always an easy task, given her excellent poker face. She winked back him, took a deep breath and settled in for the difficult testimony that was about to start.

The General's defense had already paraded its witnesses before the jury attesting to the man's stellar military record, involvement in the community, and reputation as a law-abiding family man. Kate hadn't been in the courtroom for that day's drama, choosing instead to go to work and to read the press accounts in the paper. Captain Montgomery had been there, not only representing Beckett, but all the law enforcement personnel who had banded together to catch the bastard. It was his way of sending The General the message that his efforts at intimidating the city to bend to his will did not work. The NYPD's finest would not be deterred and would still be on the job working to catch the bad guys.

Two hours passed in which each family member of a victim was given at the most 15 minutes to tell why The General should be put to death. Most witnesses addressed Tracy directly as she compassionately drew the most compelling arguments for death out of each. A few people, though, chose to address The General directly. With tears quietly falling they spoke about how they hoped he'd burn in hell or how much mourning and grieving their family had done for their lost loved one. One middle-aged woman spoke about how her nephew, who had once boasted about joining the New York National Guard, resigned his post rather than serve under the man who had ordered his uncle's execution. Throughout all the crying, the yelling, the pleading, the threatening, the damning, and the rare forgiving, the General betrayed no more emotion that last year's bird's nest.

Kate couldn't tell what her friends were all thinking. Occasionally, she picked up on a contemptuous snort from Ryan or Esposito, or heard Lanie inhale heavily, but she refused to turn in her seat to see their faces. Something told her that doing so would be seen as a sign that she was cracking and needed extra support. She wanted to come off as strong as possible. Here and there Alexis and Martha brushed a tear from each of their eyes. Castle broke his grip on Kate's hand, resting it on top of Alexis' right. He gave her a quick encouraging look, which Martha caught, causing her to drop her left hand on top of Castle's. The four of them now formed a chain of support, which they each knew would never be broken.

Finally, Tracy turned to the judge and said "The State calls Katherine Beckett." As Kate stood, she felt the eyes of all her friends on her. To her dismay, the familiar ten ton weight that she thought she had thrown off descended on her shoulders once again and negative thoughts ran her head at blazing speed:

_C'mon, the S.O.B. is going away for life without parole at least. This part's the easy part. _

_Yeah, right. It should be. It always was when I thought about it. But it's not. _

_You've testified in court a million times, why is this time different? _

_Because it's him._

_Because it's me._

_Because it's my turn to be the victim. No more empathizing with someone else. _

_Because I've got more to live for than just Dad and the badge._

_I've got Castle and Martha and Alexis in addition to Lanie and Roy and Javier and Kevin._

_Fifteen years of bitterness, anger, sorrow, fear. _

_Now it's my turn. _

_At last. _

_This is for you, Mom. _

Kate took her seat in the witness chair and began her testimony.


	3. Chapter 3

After stating her name for the record and a few preliminary questions, Tracy asked Kate to describe how she found out about Johanna's murder.

"Dad and I had planned on meeting her for dinner that night, but she never showed. We figured that she just got caught up at work, or someone needed help and she got delayed. So we ordered, ate, and then went home expecting to find a message on the answering machine from her or to see her already in her pajamas ready for bed. That was the last night of true peace he and I have had since."

"What did you find when you got home?"

Kate steeled herself for the answer. "We found NYPD Homicide Detective Raglan at our front door. He told us that her body had been found stabbed in an alley near our building. She must have been walking home when she was attacked. He took us down to see the scene, but of course, he didn't let us cross the tape. She was covered with a sheet, but they hadn't loaded her into the coroner's van yet. The first thing I noticed was her shoes. They were the favorite pair that she wore everywhere no matter how beat up they looked. She'd just put on more polish and scuff remover and out she'd go." Kate couldn't help but chuckle a bit at her mother's frugality.

"What else did you notice Detective?"

"Her hand was also sticking out from under the sheet so I could see the bracelet I had given her for Mother's Day on her wrist and her wedding ring still on her finger. We both knew it was her. The identification at the morgue later was just a formality. As we stood there, all those lights flashing and people walking back and forth and the noise the city, I never heard my Dad cry like that before. He wailed, just wailed on my shoulder and there was nothing I could do, but hold him as tight as I could."

Kate's eyes were now swimming with tears, but she didn't falter. Her lip also quivered a little but she was determined to go on. Alexis, Martha, and Lanie had already shed a few quiet tears. Ryan stared at his lap and clenched his fists, Esposito's face was taut as he stared at The General, and Montgomery sat with his arms folded watching Kate. Castle watched her too, in hopes that if his eyes met hers, it would give her just a little more strength than she needed. Wait, since when did Kate need strength, he thought. This is the strongest woman I ever met and I'm trying to give her strength? Life certainly can turn the tables on you.

"Detective, where is your mother's wedding ring now?" Tracy asked.

"Here," and Kate lifted the long silver chain from which Johanna's wedding ring hung from around her neck until it hung outside her blouse.

"Why do you still wear it after all this time?"

"For the same reason I wear Dad's watch on my wrist." Kate held up her left wrist on which the men's black wristwatch sat. "They've kept me going. Whenever I get frustrated and can't solve a case, or just want to run away from all of it and crawl in a hole somewhere I see the watch and feel the ring hanging around my neck. They remind me that it's not just about me. There's someone else out there looking for a resolution, mourning a loved one, and trying somehow to patch up a hole that's been blasted through their life. When I put on this badge for the first time, I took a vow to protect and serve the citizens of this city and when I put it on every morning, I renew that vow. And like parents often do, Dad's watch and Mom's ring keep me honest. They keep me from not forgetting that vow."

Kate looked at Captain Montgomery, her mentor, and Ryan and Esposito, her partners, as she finished. That's for you guys.

"Detective, you mentioned your father. How did he cope with your mother's murder?"

"He took her death hard, as you might expect. He became an alcoholic. For a while I thought I'd have to take time off from school to take care of him. Between helping him and monitoring what little investigation there was into Mom's murder, I didn't think I could handle school. The low point came when I had been out of the academy for a year. I went out to run an errand and got home and found him in his and Mom's bedroom pointing my backup gun at his head ready to shoot himself." A collective inhale sounded throughout the courtroom. Kate hadn't told any of her friends this story before and they all sat dumbfounded listening to her. A tear finally coursed its way down her cheek.

"I still don't remember how I did it, but I got him to put the gun down. I just hugged him, like I did in that alley that night and we cried. The next day I took him to AA and he's been sober ever since. It was an epiphany for both us. That night I realized that I had to move on too. I realized that mom's case file was my alcohol and I had to put it away. And after lots of therapy, I did. I didn't touch it again until a forensic pathologist connected her murder with that of Dick Coonan's brother's years later."

"Detective, I have no further questions for you, but you're welcome to make a final statement at this time." Tracy invited. Kate took another breath inward then began saying what she had wanted to say for roughly half her life. She looked The General right in the eyes and didn't flinch as she spoke.

"I've thought long and hard about what I wanted to say to you when this day finally came. I've hated you for so long for what you did to me and my family. Not just for ordering some old buddy of yours to shove a knife through my Mom's body and put so many holes in her that she looked like Swiss cheese, but for destroying our peaceful life, for taking away from me the normal, upper-middle class life I wanted until that time, for turning my Dad into a suicidal alcoholic, for making me almost forget how to be happy…" Kate almost lost her composure, but recovered and shifted in her seat. "But since I can tell you don't care, I won't dwell on all that."

"I just want you to know that your plan for world domination and city-wide intimidation didn't work. Yes, my Dad and I still carry the pain of Mom's loss with us and always will, but we came back from that. We've faced that darkness and come out on the other side better for it, just like all of these people who testified before me. You didn't scare me into running away and hiding, but rather you gave me the strength go out, to find the murdering dirt bags like you, and to put them away so they won't ruin anymore lives. As long as I have breath in my lungs, I'll be out there on the streets looking for people like you who think they can off innocent citizens and then get away with it. And I'm happy with my life. I enjoy my work, thanks to you, and have friends who would do anything for me and for whom I'd do the same."

Kate again looked meaningfully at her friends in the audience.

"And I have a husband-to-be who is beyond extraordinary." Her eyes looked deeply into Castle's and she noticed that he now had a tear running down his cheek.

"So you failed, General. You failed to intimidate this New Yorker. Chew on that for the rest of your natural life, as long or short as it may be."

Kate looked back at Tracy, non-verbally signaling that she was done. The prosecutor nodded in reply with satisfaction. "Nothing further, Your Honor."

The judge dismissed Kate and she walked slowly, but confidently back to her seat. She sat down and exhaled a last heavy exhale as Castle once more draped his arm around her shoulders. Now unable to fight off her emotional exhaustion, she closed her eyes and rested her head in the nook between his shoulder and neck. He kissed her forehead and rubbed her shoulder with his thumb. Lanie leaned forward and whispered in her ear.

"See that sunshine outside?" Kate turned her head, and saw a bright beam of sunlight breaking though the courtroom windows and nodded. "That's your Mom positively bursting with pride." The best friends smiled at each other and shook hands over the back of the bench.

After instructing and dismissing the jury, the judge banged his gavel and adjourned the court. Tracy packed up her briefcase and was briefly mobbed by victims' family members wanting to thank her. Once The General was moved out of the courtroom, Kate stood up with Castle's arm still around her. She held his hand that massaged her shoulder and looked at him, her emotional strength crumbling. His face told her that since it was over, she didn't have to be Fort Knox anymore. She could release the dam of her emotions. She turned into him, buried her face in his shoulder and wept quietly. Lanie wrapped her arms around both them too, then Martha and Alexis joined in the group hug. Captain Montgomery stood apart from the women between Ryan and Esposito, the former blinking back tears and the latter studying the floor as he had done in the hallway. What the hell, the Captain thought, and he rested a friendly hand on each man's shoulder as they watched the outpouring of support.

Kate finally lifted her head and began to compose herself. She stepped way from Castle and the women and hugged the three guys who each praised her "kick-ass" testimony. Tracy, having finally broken free of her admirers came over and hugged Kate too.

"You did your Mom, your Dad, and the department proud today, Kate," Tracy murmured in her ear.

"So did you," Kate returned.


	4. Chapter 4

Kate stepped outside the courthouse into the bright sun, stood at the top of the long outdoor marble staircase and inhaled the fresh air deeply. She noticed that the weight had lifted again and she had the distinct feeling that it would stay that way. This time it wasn't just the weight that had lifted. She felt unshackled, relaxed, and free from fifteen years worth of being haunted by the ghost of her mother's unsolved murder.

All the others soon joined her except Tracy, who, after fielding endless questions from the press, had rushed back to her office for a meeting about another case. Though she very much wanted to get back to the precinct, Captain Montgomery stopped Kate and told her to take the day off. After a quick and very public back and forth right there on the courthouse steps where both refused to give much ground, they finally struck a compromise whereby Beckett could go, but was confined only to catching up on paperwork. Ryan and Esposito would handle any calls about new cases and Montgomery and the head of the Homicide Division would keep the press at bay. Kate pecked Castle on the lips, hugged the other women, and headed towards the car in which the boys had carpooled to the courthouse. Lanie, Castle, Alexis, and Martha headed to their respective homes.

The rest of the day passed quickly and quietly, much to Kate and all her colleague's relief. They got no calls about any fresh homicides, so all three detectives were able to catch up on paperwork, dot their "i's" and cross their "t's" on other cases, and even shoot the breeze a bit. After the eventful morning and early afternoon, it was much like a typical day. Kate was getting ready to leave when she got a phone call from Lanie.

"You up for some fun tonight?" The M.E. asked.

"I don't think so, Lanie," Kate sighed and longed for a soak in a hot bubble bath. "In case you didn't notice, I had kind of a stressful day, so I was just planning on crashing at home tonight."

"Hm-hmmm. Let me ask you this then," Lanie persisted.

Kate sighed heavily again, too emotionally exhausted to argue with her friend, who obviously had her mind set on a girl's night out. "Alright what is it?"

"When you got back to the precinct earlier did you find a weird note about meeting at Tremonte's tonight?"

"Yeah, I did," Kate answered. "But I figured it was the moron from the mail room who keeps getting my mail mixed up with Ken Butler's. I tossed the thing out."

"Well I just checked my email remotely from home, and found a note about meeting a secret admirer at Tremonte's tonight at 8," Lanie explained. "And Tracy said she got the same message by phone at her office."

Kate fished the crumpled up note she received out of the trash can under her desk. "Mine says the same thing," she confirmed. Then she switched gears. "Wait, a secret admirer? Since when do you have a secret admirer?" Kate asked teasing incredulously.

"Don't make it sound like such an impossibility!" Lanie chided. "Just because you're off the market, doesn't mean the rest of us aren't still lookin'."

"I know, I know. And just because I'm off the market, doesn't mean I can't still have a little fun at your expense!" Kate poked back.

"Fair enough and well played," Lanie relented. "So what are we gonna do about this? Obviously _someone_ wants to meet all of us tonight."

"But I'm engaged! How am I supposed−"

"Honey, I think the whole world knows you're engaged by now. And as you yourself said just a minute ago, that doesn't mean you can't still have a little fun with the girls."

Kate remained hesitant, thinking what a disaster to both hers and Castle's reputations (well, less so his) it would be if a paparazzo was hiding in the bushes and caught her leaving the romantic restaurant on the arm of someone other than her famous fiancée.

"Beckett look," Lanie prodded, "if he's a whack job, I'll just do my whole I-could-poison-you-and-make-it-look-like-an-accident-if-you-don't-leave-us-alone routine. You know that's convincing."

"Fine. I'll see you and Tracy at 8."

Two hours later, Kate, Lanie and Tracy were decked out in cocktail dresses with makeup and hair done specially for the evening and sitting at a high-top table in the bar of the romantic Italian restaurant Tremonte's. It was one of Kate's favorite places since she and Castle had shared some of their most intimate dinners there. They toasted to the evening's as-yet unknown events, talked some shop, and discussed the latest movies they wanted to see. Finally, Tracey brought up the hearing.

"Seriously, girl, you hit it out of the park today," she congratulated Kate. "I could not have asked for a better statement."

"Well, it's not like I hadn't been dreaming of that opportunity for a long time," Kate said soberly.

"Believe me when I say I feel ya." Tracy said back.

"Did you get any indication as to which way the jury is leaning?" Lanie asked.

"Well, I noticed that some teared up while you were testifying, and those who didn't, I couldn't get a good read on."

"Which means I'll probably be seeing them sometime soon on my table, because you'd have to be dead not to be moved by what you said today." Lanie joked and all three had a good laugh.

"Don't worry. I'll keep on top of it though," Tracy said.

"Thanks," Kate responded.

"Well, it is my job−"

"No," Kate interrupted and looked back at both women seated at the table with her. "I mean thanks…for everything. Both of you. So many times I thought this day would never come and now it's over and Dad and I can rest a little easier. Mom too. You probably hear this a lot, Tracy, but your hard work on this case means the world to me. And Lanie, I know I'm not the easiest person to be friends with, but if not for your support, I wouldn't have had the courage to keep working at it and to get up there and look that bastard in the eye. I just wanted..." Kate swallowed hard, but was too choked up to finish her thought.

Lanie smiled widely, knowing how relieved her friend was to have the whole experience behind her. Tracy's eyes welled up a little, just as they always did when a victim's family member thanked her. It still surprised her that after as many cases as she had worked on, she still got emotional when she saw the impact her work had on the average citizen who was just trying to move on with their life. She was glad of the feeling.

"Detective Beckett, it was my very great pleasure," Tracy squeaked out and patted Kate's left forearm.

Lanie raised her glass in another toast. "To life and friendship,"

"Here, here," Kate said.

"Amen," from Tracy.

As they clinked their glasses and drank, Kate saw a familiar face making his way through the crowded bar searching for someone. He was clean shaven, and dressed more sharply than usual in a charcoal suit, white dress shirt and white tie. She also noticed that the clock behind the bar read 8:00 p.m. The man saw her watching him and snaked his way to their table.

"Esposito? What are you doing here?" Kate asked in semi-shock.

"I am here to escort one of you lovely ladies out to dinner," Esposito replied in a voice so polite and formal that Kate almost laughed in his face. But when she saw the earnestness and seriousness in his eyes, she checked herself. She also noticed that Lanie's face had suddenly become a little brighter with anticipation. Unfortunately, it was short lived.

"Dr. Parrish, Detective Beckett, no need to worry. Your escorts will be along shortly. Shall we, Ms. Chen?" Esposito offered Tracy his arm.

"You flatter me, Detective Esposito," Tracy answered batting her eyes.

"Please, call me Javier."

Lanie hid the Danny Thomas spit-take she nearly did by coughing a few times. "Wrong pipe," she added for extra effect.

"If you insist – Javier. Ladies, my friends, good night," Tracy said taking Esposito's arm. As he turned to lead her out of the restaurant, she mouthed "Oh, my God!" back over her shoulder to Kate and Lanie. The former woman laughed out loud. The latter didn't.

"Have fun you two," Lanie grumbled in a mocking voice and took a rather large swig of her drink.

"It's a good feeling, isn't it?" Kate asked knowingly then sipped from her own glass.

Lanie glared at Kate with her peripheral vision, then studied the ice cubes in her glass briefly and sighed. "Touché. How you dealt with this for as long you did with that man of yours I'll never know," she said shaking her head.

"Good friends help. So does the occasional ear twist."

Lanie finally laughed just as Kate noticed another man approaching their table. He was African-American, as tall as Castle, but was built like a New York Giants linebacker, and had a round, boyish face. Like Esposito, he was clean shaven and he wore a black suit, black dress shirt and yellow tie. As he got closer, Kate recognized him as a SWAT Team member she had seen around the precinct.

"Dr. Parrish, I presume?" he asked Lanie. His voice was smooth, confident, and projected calm. Kate could hardly believe this guy busted through windows to end hostage crises for a living. He seemed the picture of a gentle giant.

"That's me," Lanie said, her eyes opening a little wider in surprise and confusion.

"Captain Robert Hughes, NYPD SWAT. With your permission, Dr. Parrish, I'd like to invite you to join me for dinner."

"Wait, you're my secret admirer?"

Hughes chuckled and flashed a million dollar smile. "Yes. Yes, I am. I don't mean to embarrass you in front of Detective Beckett, but I had it on good authority that you'd be here and I couldn't help but notice you around the 12th precinct. I know it's sudden, and I'll understand if you're not comfortable."

Lanie looked like she had just won a jackpot in Las Vegas – her jaw hung slightly slack and her eyes were wide. So much for Esposito, Kate thought.

"I'd – love to, Captain. Of course," Lanie stammered. Hughes offered his hand as Lanie hopped down from her chair.

"Please, call me Robert," he said, grinning warmly.

After securing her purse, she took Captain Hughes' arm. On their way out, she turned over her shoulder and mouthed "Whoa!" to Kate.

No sooner had they left, than Kate noticed yet another familiar face heading her way. He was tall, broad-shouldered, exuded charm and warmth, and the sight of him made her heart skip a beat.

"Care to join me for dinner, Detective?" Castle asked Kate.

"Ok, what is all this?" she asked him, smiling nevertheless.

"Just a surprise the guys and I cooked up. I bumped into Captain Hughes last week and he asked me about Lanie, so I created a fake email address and emailed her. And I noticed the way Tracy looked at Esposito earlier today, so left her a message at her office. Ryan got Jenny involved and after all that I just couldn't bear to miss out on the fun, so…here I am." Kate smiled and shook her head in disbelief at how wonderful this man was to her. Castle leaned in close to Kate across the small table. "We figured you'd all need some decompressing after today." With that, he closed the distance between them and kissed her tenderly on the mouth.

"Oh, you did, did you?" she said and got down from her bar stool. He stood up straight as she placed both hands on his shoulders and he held her waist. "Is that what they're calling it these days…" She kissed him a little stronger then pulled away. "Decompressing?" She pulled him into a third kiss, this one still longer and more passionate. They broke the kiss and giggled, keeping their foreheads touching.

"C'mon. Everyone's waiting in the limo," Castle said as Kate slung her purse over her shoulder.

"Limo? Who-"

The answer came to her before she could even finish her question when she saw Castle rocking back and forth on his heels and whistling, cat-that-ate-the-canary style.

"You are probably the most extraordinary man I've ever met," she responded looking deep into his eyes and beaming.

"Coming from you, that means a lot."

With that, Kate took Castle's offered arm and they headed outside and disappeared into the shiny white limousine waiting at the curb.


End file.
